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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
private universities; Arizona teachers academy
Purpose
Authorizes a degree-granting private postsecondary education institution (degree-granting private institution) to implement an Arizona Teachers Academy (Teachers Academy), subject to a specified cap on an individual scholarship.
Background
An eligible postsecondary institution must award each Teachers Academy student an annual scholarship up to the cost of the following, reduced by other financial aid: 1) tuition and fees for graduate, undergraduate and community college students as outlined; 2) a National Board Certification (NBC); and 3) a teaching certificate. For each academic year that a student receives a scholarship for all tuition and fees, the student must teach for one school year in an Arizona public school or a school in which more than 75 percent of students are public school students placed by agreement at the school. For teachers seeking an NBC, the teaching commitment is one year after completing NBC requirements. A student who does not complete an academic year in good standing or does not fulfill the teaching obligation, must reimburse the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) for scholarship monies.
ABOR distributes Arizona Teachers Academy Fund (Fund) monies to eligible postsecondary institutions for scholarship reimbursements and specified Teachers Academy costs. If a scholarship does not cover tuition and fees after other financial aid, the institution may not charge students for the remaining amount. If the scholarship exceeds tuition and fee costs, the institution may use the remaining amount to support the Teachers Academy. An Eligible postsecondary institution is an Arizona public university, a community college that offers postbaccalaureate programs that lead to teacher certification and has entered into an agreement with ABOR, or a tribal college that offers teacher education programs as outlined and opts into the program (A.R.S. § 15-1655).
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee fiscal note states that the Teachers Academy annually receives $15 million from the state General Fund and that, because the appropriation is not tied to a statutory formula, allowing private institutions to offer scholarships may decrease the allocation to public universities to the extent that private universities participate in the Teachers Academy at the current funding level (JLBC).
Provisions
1. Authorizes a degree-granting private institution in Arizona that offers postbaccalaureate teacher preparation programs that lead to teacher certification to participate in the Teachers Academy and receive monies from the Fund.
2. Caps a Teachers Academy scholarship that a degree-granting private institution provides to an eligible student at the remainder of the average in-state tuition and fees charged by Arizona public universities, minus all other financial aid.
3. Adds, to the definition of eligible postsecondary institution relating to the Teachers Academy, a degree-granting private institution that opts to participate in the Teachers Academy.
4. Makes technical and conforming changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ED 1/3/23 DP 6-4-0-0
3rd Read 2/28/23 31-28-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 13, 2023
LB/KT/slp